• About the ACG Institute
• Reporting Form for Past ACG Grant Recipients
• Colorectal Cancer Prevention Action Plan
• ACG Research Grants
• Clinical GI Research Funding Opportunities
• ACG Clinical Research Award
• ACG Junior Faculty Development Award
• 2011 "Smaller Programs" Clinical Research Award
• ACG Online Grant Submission
• International GI Training Grants
• Grant Writing Tutorial

2008-2009 Institute Annual Report 2006-2007 Institute Annual Report

Capital Campaign

The ACG Institute is proud of the dramatic advancement of the Capital Campaign, launched in 2002.   Highlights of 2007 include the unstoppable momentum of the Campaign, exceeding all expectations as we celebrate surpassing, by far, the original goal of $12 million.  Against the backdrop of significant new organizational developments reflecting the important stature of the ACG Institute in the life of the College, this year featured new educational offerings and major research support for colorectal cancer prevention through an RFA. 

An essential factor in the Campaign’s outstanding results is the generous expression of corporate support and commitment by key leaders in the GI marketplace coupled with record-setting gifts from individual physicians and private gastroenterology practices.  The success of this Campaign promises to create a strong and viable future source of resources to support clinical gastroenterology research and important patient and physician education priorities.  View the ACG Institute Donor Wall of Fame including pledges as of December 31, 2009.

Mission

The ACG Institute's primary mission is to advance the field of clinical gastroenterology through education and research. Consistent with that mission, the ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education serves as a forum in which to build on the goals of the College. The Institute promotes research in clinical gastroenterology, educates physicians and the public, and provides resources to support the future needs of clinical gastroenterology, GI patients, as well as young clinical investigators who as they develop careers in academic gastroenterology, enrich knowledge and treatments in digestive diseases.

Founded in 1994, the ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education has emerged as a major source of funding for patient care oriented gastroenterology research, and an active and effective sponsor of educational programming for consumers and physicians alike.

ACG Institute Leadership

Established under the ACG Bylaws, the ACG Institute Board of Directors is appointed by the ACG Board of Trustees and reports to the Board. The Institute's Management Committee operates under the leadership of the ACG Institute Director, and is appointed by the ACG Board of Trustees. This group has responsibility for oversight of the educational and research activities of the Institute.

ACG Institute Management Committee

• Edgar Achkar, M.D., FACG, Cleveland, OH - ACG Institute Director
• David Y. Graham, M.D., MACG, Houston, TX
• Linda Rabeneck, M.D., FACG, Toronto, ON, Canada
• Lawrence S. Schiller, M.D., FACG, Dallas, TX
• Nicholas J. Shaheen, M.D., FACG, Chapel Hill, NC
• Mitchell L. Shiffman, M.D., FACG, Richmond, VA
• Christina M. Surawicz, M.D., FACG, Seattle, WA

Advancing Knowledge About Digestive Disease Through Clinical Research

The Institute has enjoyed impressive growth in its ability to underwrite research, funding over $11 million in clinical research grants to 479 physicians since its inception. These funds have gone to clinical investigators tackling some of the most important challenges in the field of gastroenterology.

Enhancing Patient Care Through Physician Education

The Institute has staked a claim in the life of the College through the excellence of its educational initiatives. Whether educating consumers about screening for colorectal cancer or about serious GI disorders, or providing state-of-the-art educational tools for physicians to enhance their practice, the Institute has become an undisputed educational leader.

Under the auspices of the ACG Institute, many of the most distinguished clinicians, researchers and academicians in the field of gastroenterology have contributed to the educational mission of the College by writing and editing an impressive array of physician and patient education tools. These programs run the gamut from scientific monographs on topics including variceal bleeding in the cirrhotic and acute and chronic diarrhea, to interactive programs on H. pylori and GERD, special supplements on extra-esophageal manifestations of GERD in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, and treatment algorithms on ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, among many others.

The hallmark of the ACG Institute since its inception has been to share first-class educational materials with GI subspecialists, as well as primary care physicians, internal medicine specialists and family practitioners.

Promoting Awareness of Digestive Health Through Public Education

Along with clinical research and physician education, public education is the third corner of the Institute's pyramid of strength. Using its own funds, without support from other partners, the Institute has made a major financial commitment to supporting patient education on colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Educating patients about the Medicare preventive benefit, and ensuring that American adults over 50 understand the importance of screening and early detection of colon cancer has been a primary focus of the Institute's educational mission.

The ACG National Public Information and Education Campaign on GERD was launched in 1996 and for five years brought televised messages, print advertisements and other strategic communications to the American public about chronic acid reflux. This campaign marks the Institute's coming into its own as a force within the gastroenterology community. The Institute sponsored a major national consumer education initiative that exceeded expectations in reaching millions of frequent heartburn sufferers with ACG's messages urging them to see their doctor or GI specialist for frequent, persistent symptoms.

Gathering Data to Strengthen Patient Care Through Registry Projects

The ACG Institute has been the forum for several important registry projects conducted by ACG experts with the broad participation of ACG members in clinical practice. Results of the ACG GI Bleeding Registry project were published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, while data from the Medicare Colorectal Cancer Screening Registry were presented at the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting in 1999. Another successful registry project on variceal bleeding enjoyed an impressive participation rate. The Institute is proud to be able to provide the ways and means to support registry projects like these which enhance our understanding of GI diseases.

The College, under the auspices of the ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education, supports clinical gastroenterology research and faculty development awards each year. The College's goal is to foster clinical breakthroughs in gastroenterology by supporting research that promises to improve patient care and strengthen practitioners' capabilities.

Reporting Form (for use by past ACG grant recipients only)

Colorectal Cancer Prevention Action Plan

The ACG Colorectal Cancer Prevention Action Plan reflects the College's longstanding commitment to improving colorectal cancer screening. For 2007, the ACG Institute issued a Request for Applications pursuant to the Action Plan for the second of a planned series of RFAs for a one-time grant of $150,000.

In developing the RFA, the leadership of the ACG Institute recognized that in spite of multiple efforts to promote colorectal cancer screening, utilization rates remain low and adherence to surveillance guidelines is highly variable. There was consensus among colorectal cancer experts involved in developing the RFA that the measurement of quality of performance of colorectal cancer screening tests was of critical importance.
In the RFA, the Institute sought to promote research geared toward improving the quality of colorectal cancer screening and/or surveillance, with the ultimate goal of reducing colorectal cancer incidence and mortality.

Two highly regarded proposals emerged from a review of the submissions, and, in an unprecedented development, the ACG Board of Trustees moved to support both projects. Funding was awarded to Dr. Cynthia Ko at the University of Washington for her project "Colonoscopy Quality and Outcomes in Clinical Practice," and to Dr. Linda Rabeneck at Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre in Toronto for an investigation of "New or Missed Colorectal Cancer After Colonoscopy."

The ACG Colorectal Cancer Prevention Action Plan is an ambitious, multi-faceted effort approved by the ACG Board of Trustees in 2004. Under this plan, the College has earmarked significant resources to support large clinical research grants on specific clinically important topics in colorectal cancer prevention-research in improving the safety, effectiveness and acceptability of colonoscopy, and other colorectal cancer prevention strategies. In 2005 the College made its first award through the Action Plan when a one-time grant of $100,000 was awarded for research on chromocolonoscopy in the detection of flat colorectal neoplasms to Charles Kahi, M.D. and his colleagues in Indianapolis.

Funding Cutting Edge Clinical Research

For 2010, the ACG Institute for Clinical Research and Education is pleased to announce the award of $1,081,995 in support of outstanding clinical research in gastroenterology, a record for the College. Selected for funding were 18 Clinical Research Awards totaling $331,995. In addition, the Institute will support five Junior Faculty Development Grants, at an overall level of $750,000, the largest number of these career development awards since their inception in 1997.

American College of Gastroenterology
ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education

ACG 2010 Junior Faculty Development Grants

A two-year grant of $75,000 per year for each of two years

Katherine Garman, M.D.
Duke University
Insights into the Pathogenesis of Barrett's Esophagus through MicroRNA

Jessica Lee, M.D.
Children's Hospital Boston
Is Crohn's Disease Marked by a Unique Molecular Signature?

Millie Long, M.D.
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Skin Cancer in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Alberto Rubio-Tapia, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
Clinical Staging and Survival in Refractory Celiac Disease: Validation and Refinement of a New Staging Model Using a Multinational Cohort

Harminder Singh, M.D.
University of Manitoba
Detection and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer

ACG 2010 Clinical Research Awards

Braden Kuo, M.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Non-Invasive Characterization of Gastric Motility Using MRI

Joseph Leung, M.D.
UC Davis Medical Center
RCT Comparing Effects of Continuous (Repeated) ERCP Mechanical Simulator (EMS) Practice on Trainees' Clinical ERCP Performance

James Lord, M.D.
Benaroya Research Institute
CD4+ Regulatory and Effector T Cell Differentiation in Interferon Therapy for Hepatitis C

Heiko Pohl, M.D.
VA Medical Center White River Junction Vermont
Does Cap-Assisted Colonoscopy Improve Adenoma Detection? A Randomized Trial

Ron Schey, M.D.
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
The Effects of Cannabinoid on Patients with Non-GERD Related Non-Cardiac Chest Pain

Elizabeth Verna, M.D.
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Serum Lipopolysaccharide Measurement to Predict Hepatic Fibrosis in Liver Transplant Recipients with Hepatitis C

Wahid Wassef, M.D.
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument (Panqoli): A Psychometric Evaluation

ACG 2010 Clinical Research Awards Pilot Projects

David Armstrong, M.D.
McMaster University
A Pilot Study to Develop and Evaluate a Multifaceted Educational Tool for Use in a Prospective, Cluster-Randomized Trial of Practice Audit and Targeted Education for Colonoscopy Quality Improvement

Kathleen Corey, M.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital
The Association of Serum Vitamin D Levels and Progression of Hepatic Fibrosis

Linda Cummings, M.D.
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on 15-Prostaglandin Dehydrogenase Expression in Barrett's Esophagus

Karen Kim, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Clinical Features and Outcomes in Patients with 15-PGDH-Positive Colorectal Cancers

Monthira Maneerattanaporn, M.D.
University of Michigan
Pilot Study to Determine the Key Characteristics which Aid in the Diagnosis of Constipated Patients with Dyssynergic Defecation

Tarun Narang, M.D.
Carolinas Medical Center
Intravenous Interferon During the Anhepatic Phase of Liver Transplantation and Prevention of Recurrence of Genotype 1 Hepatitis C Virus

Jenny Sauk, M.D.
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Developing a Confocal Microendoscope (CME)-Based Classification System of Histologic Inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis

Achuthan Sourianarayanane, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic
Foundation Mechanism of the Effect of Midodrine on Portal Pressures in Patients with Cirrhosis

Carlo Traverso, M.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Fecal DNA-Based Ova and Parasite Detection

Miranda van Tilburg, M.D.
University of North Carolina
Dietary Restraint and Motility in Adolescents who Suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Yinghong Wang, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Investigation of Serotonin Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Irritable Pouch Syndrome

Clinical Research Grants

The American College of Gastroenterology offers Clinical Research Awards of up to $35,000 for original research in clinical gastroenterology. At least one of the investigators must be an ACG member or trainee member at the time of submission of the grant proposal. Note that physicians in training (interns, residents, fellows) are eligible to apply provided that the work is conducted under the preceptorship of a more senior or experienced investigator. In order to assure diversity among recipients, no more than two Clinical Research Awards will be granted to former or current principal investigators on R01, P01, U01, VA Merit Awards or Hughes grants, or to those who hold the position of full professor at an academic institution. Awardees will be selected based on feasibility, scientific and clinical significance, originality and anticipated contribution of the research to clinical practice. Applications will also be evaluated on the availability of adequate resources, including personnel and facilities.

ACG Clinical Research Award Deadline 
The deadline for 2011 Clinical Research Grants is Friday, December 10, 2010.

2011 Clinical Research Award Announcement (pdf)

Junior Faculty Development Grants

The American College of Gastroenterology supports Junior Faculty Development Awards. The primary goal of this career development grant of $75,000 per year for each of two years is to assist promising clinical researchers to develop research and careers that have a direct bearing on clinical gastrointestinal practice. This includes assistance to a junior faculty investigator to ensure that a major portion of the investigator's time is protected for clinical research. The Junior Faculty award provides support for junior investigators working toward independent careers in clinical research related to gastroenterology or hepatology.

To be eligible for the Junior Faculty award, applicants must be physicians who hold full-time faculty positions at a North American (U.S. or Canada) university, medical school, or other health care institution at the time of funding of the application, should it be approved. Applicants also must be members of the ACG at the time of application. This award is not intended for fellows, but for junior faculty who have demonstrated unusual promise and have some record of accomplishment in research. Established investigators are not eligible. Candidates must devote at least 50% of their effort to clinical research related to gastroenterology or hepatology.

Junior Faculty Development Award Deadline
The deadline for 2011 Junior Faculty Development Grants is Friday, December 10, 2010.

2011 Junior Faculty Development Grant Announcement (pdf)

2011 “Smaller Programs” Clinical Research Award

The American College of Gastroenterology will support Clinical Research Awards of up to $25,000 specifically aimed to support junior faculty at smaller GI training programs in the United States and Canada. While the College has become a significant engine of clinical research in gastroenterology, the majority of these awards have been granted to investigators at large research institutions. Given the College’s aims to stimulate and support excellent clinical GI research, while at the same time maintaining an ongoing commitment to fund the best science, funds under this RFA are intended to make the promise of a research career more broadly available by targeting investigators at smaller training programs. The number of awards will be determined by the ACG Research Committee.

The main goals of this RFA are to stimulate pilot research at smaller clinical GI training programs, thereby encouraging junior faculty to pursue a research career and to remain in academics at these institutions. The mission of the ACG Clinical Research Awards program is to fund innovative research awards that are patient-oriented. For the purposes of these awards, patient-oriented research is defined as: (1) research conducted with human subjects; (2) research on new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions; and (3) research on material of human origin such as tissues and specimens. While research that explores mechanisms of human disease is highly encouraged, the research projects should be translational in nature; i.e., have direct applicability to clinical care. In general, studies involving animals will not be considered unless the work cannot be done in humans.

“Smaller Programs” Clinical Research Award Deadline
The deadline for proposals is Friday, December 10, 2010, and the applications must be submitted electronically that day.

2011 “Smaller Programs” Clinical Research Award Announcement (pdf)

ACG Online Grant Submission

ACG 2010 Clinical Research Awards - Online Submission will be available September 7, 2010

Grant Writing Tutorial

Advice from funded investigators on “Winning the Grant Writing Game” includes an insider’s perspective on the ACG Research Committee grant review process, as well as practical tips on writing a successful grant application.  “Resources for Novice and Expert Grant Writer” offers a thorough overview of the art of grant writing, while “Pearls and Pitfalls for Grant Applications to the ACG” from the offers valuable guidance on topics ranging from the importance of the power calculation, to minimizing and simplifying hypotheses, to proofreading.  A thoughtful and authoritative overview that should be required reading for all applicants for ACG research grants.  Authors: Neena S. Abraham, MD, MSCE, FACG, FASGE & David T. Rubin, MD, FACG, AGAF

Grant Writing Tutorial

The International GI Training Grant program was initiated in 1995, and originally provided partial financial support to physicians outside the United States and Canada to receive clinical or clinical research training or education in Gastroenterology and Hepatology in selected medical training centers in North America.

In 2008, a second grant was added, The North American International GI Training Grant, which provides partial financial support to a U.S. or Canadian GI Fellow in training or a GI Physician who has completed training within the last 5 years, to receive clinical or clinical research training or education in Gastroenterology and Hepatology outside of North America.

Grants are to be used for travel to and from the training center and to the ACG Annual Meeting as well as for incidental expenses related to the training. Currently, $10,000 is awarded annually for each grant.

2010 International GI Training Grant Award
2010 North American International GI Training Grant Award

Past Recipients of the International GI Training Grant:

Past Recipients of the North American International GI Training Grant: